Instagram is a leading social media platform with over 2 billion monthly active users in 2025. It relies heavily on visuals, making the correct image and video sizes essential for creating professional-looking content. Using the right dimensions ensures your posts, stories, reels, and ads display clearly without unwanted cropping or pixelation.
This guide provides the ideal sizes for every Instagram post type, including square, landscape, portrait, carousel posts, stories, reels, ads, profile pictures, and highlight covers. We’ll also share practical tips to help you create engaging content that stands out.
Instagram Image Sizes for Posts
Instagram supports multiple post formats, each with specific dimensions to optimize display quality.
What Are the Best Sizes for Square Posts?
1080 x 1080 pixels with a 1:1 aspect ratio is ideal for square posts.
This traditional format is perfect for symmetrical images, such as product photos or logos. It ensures consistency in the profile grid, even with Instagram’s shift to a vertical layout. Square posts are versatile and display well in both the feed and grid.
What Are the Best Sizes for Landscape Posts?
1080 x 566 pixels with a 1.91:1 aspect ratio is recommended for landscape posts.
These are great for wide content like scenic views or group photos. However, in the profile grid, they may appear smaller due to vertical cropping. Keep key elements centered to avoid losing important details.
What Are the Best Sizes for Portrait Posts?
1080 x 1350 pixels with a 4:5 aspect ratio is ideal for portrait posts.
Portrait posts suit vertical content, such as tall buildings or full-body shots. Instagram’s 2025 grid update favors this format, making portrait posts more prominent in the profile view. They maximize screen space in the feed.
What Are the Best Sizes for Carousel Posts?
Varies, but each image should match the first photo’s orientation (e.g., 1080 x 1080 for square, 1080 x 1350 for portrait) with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:5, or 1.91:1.
Carousel posts allow up to 10 images or videos in one post. All items must share the same aspect ratio as the first to avoid inconsistent cropping. This format is excellent for storytelling, tutorials, or showcasing multiple products.
Instagram Image Sizes for Stories
Stories are temporary posts that disappear after 24 hours and are displayed full-screen on mobile devices.
What Is the Ideal Size for Standard Stories?
1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio is the ideal size for stories.
Stories are designed for vertical, mobile viewing. Keep important content within the safe area (1080 x 1610 pixels) to avoid cropping on some devices. Stories are perfect for sharing behind-the-scenes content, polls, or quick updates.
What Is the Ideal Size for Story Ads?
1440 x 2560 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio is recommended for story ads.
Story ads require higher resolution for crisp visuals. Leave the top 14% (250 pixels) and bottom 20% (340 pixels) free from key elements, as device notches or buttons may obscure these areas. Story ads are effective for promoting products with bold, full-screen visuals.
Instagram Image Sizes for Reels
Reels are short videos (up to 60 seconds) designed to capture attention and are often prioritized in the Instagram feed.
What Is the Recommended Size for Reels in the Feed?
1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio is the recommended size for reels in the feed.
Reels play full-screen on mobile devices. Avoid placing important visuals in the bottom fifth, where captions appear. Reels are ideal for creative content like tutorials, dances, or quick tips.
What Is the Recommended Size for Reels in the Grid?
1080 x 1440 pixels with a 3:4 aspect ratio is used for reels in the grid.
In the profile grid, reels are cropped to a 3:4 ratio. Center key content to prevent cropping. You can edit the cover photo to enhance the reel’s appearance in the grid.
Instagram Image Sizes for Ads
Instagram ads come in various formats, each with specific size requirements to ensure high-quality display.
What Are the Sizes for Post Ads?
1080 x 1080 pixels (square), 1080 x 1350 pixels (portrait), or 1080 x 566 pixels (landscape) with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:5, or 1.91:1 are ideal for post ads.
Post ads blend into the feed and should include a clear call-to-action (CTA). The “Sponsored” label must be visible. These ads drive traffic to websites or product pages.
What Are the Sizes for Feed Ads?
1080 x 1350 pixels with a 4:5 aspect ratio is recommended for feed ads.
Feed ads are portrait-oriented and appear in the user’s feed. Use clean visuals and a strong CTA to maximize engagement. They’re effective for showcasing products or services.
What Are the Sizes for Story Ads?
1440 x 2560 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio is ideal for story ads.
Story ads are full-screen and need bold visuals for quick impact. Follow safe area guidelines (top 14%, bottom 20%) to ensure key elements are visible. These ads excel at capturing attention.
What Are the Sizes for Reels Ads?
1440 x 2560 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio is recommended for reels ads.
Reels ads are vertical and engaging. Leave the top 14%, bottom 35%, and 6% on each side free from key elements, as player controls may cover these areas. Reels ads are great for dynamic promotions.
Instagram Image Sizes for Other Types
Additional Instagram elements like profile pictures and highlight covers also have specific size requirements.
What Is the Size for Profile Pictures?
320 x 320 pixels with a 1:1 aspect ratio is the ideal size for profile pictures.
Profile pictures are displayed as a circle at 110 x 110 pixels in the feed. Center your face or logo to avoid cropping. Uploading at 320 x 320 ensures the best quality.
What Is the Size for Highlight Covers?
1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio is recommended for highlight covers.
Highlight covers are cropped to a circle, so center the main design. They’re used to organize and display saved stories on your profile.
Tips for Creating Instagram Content
To create high-quality Instagram content, consider these tips:
- Use Editing Tools: Platforms like Canva or SocialPilot simplify resizing and editing with filters, stickers, and CTAs.
- Respect Safe Areas: For stories and reels, keep key content within safe zones to avoid cropping on various devices.
- Choose Correct File Formats: Use JPEG for photos and MP4 for videos. Keep photo file sizes under 1MB and video sizes within 650MB (up to 10 minutes) or 3.6GB (up to 60 minutes).
- Preview Content: Test how your posts look on different devices and orientations before publishing.
- Stay Informed: Instagram updates its guidelines frequently. Check reliable sources like Hootsuite for the latest information.
FAQ
What Is the Best Size for Instagram Posts?
Yes, the best sizes are 1080 x 1080 pixels (square), 1080 x 566 pixels (landscape), or 1080 x 1350 pixels (portrait).
These dimensions ensure optimal display quality and prevent cropping, aligning with Instagram’s feed and grid requirements.
What Is the Ideal Size for Instagram Stories?
Yes, the ideal size is 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio.
This size ensures stories display clearly in full-screen mode on mobile devices, enhancing viewer experience.
What Is the Recommended Size for Instagram Reels?
Yes, the recommended size is 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio.
This size optimizes reels for full-screen playback and grid display, ensuring key visuals remain intact.
Do I Need to Use Exact Sizes, or Will Instagram Adjust Them?
No, Instagram adjusts non-exact sizes, but using recommended dimensions ensures the best quality.
Incorrect sizes may lead to cropping or pixelation, reducing visual appeal.
Can I Use Different Aspect Ratios in a Carousel Post?
No, all images in a carousel must match the first image’s aspect ratio.
Instagram crops mismatched ratios uniformly, which may distort content.
Conclusion
Using the correct image sizes on Instagram is essential for creating professional, engaging content. From posts and stories to reels and ads, each format has specific dimensions to ensure optimal display. By following these guidelines and using tools like Canva or SocialPilot, you can enhance your Instagram presence and connect with your audience effectively. Stay updated with Instagram’s evolving features to keep your content fresh and impactful.
